If you happen to be coming to Utah this fall and early winter and you’re looking to mix up your evenings, you should consider checking out the Body Worlds 3 exibit which is now in downtown Salt Lake City at The Leonardo (located at the Library Square).

It opened on Sept 20 to the public and although all the advertising I’ve seen says that it’s a limited engagement, the Body Worlds website said that it’ll be here until January 11. But don’t let that lure you into procrastination. It is limited in the amount of tickets available so be sure to purchase tickets for Body World 3 in advance.

What is Body Worlds exactly?  From the website:

Body Worlds 3 is a first-of-its-kind exhibit where visitors learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies. The bodies are preserved through plastination, which is a groundbreaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977.

BODY WORLDS 3 & the Story of the Heart features more than 200 authentic human specimens including whole body plastinates, organs, translucent body slices, and a special presentation on the heart.

But don’t take it from me or from what their website says.  One of the interesting aspects of The Leonardo is the community website where people who have visited the exhibit can record their impressions for The Leonardo to post on YouTube.  Here is one of those candid interviews from a boy who found it very fascinating.

If you do get to the exhibit, let us know your impressions by leaving a comment.

After taking a year off, the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah is back this year. Advertised as “America’s Toughest Stage Race”, it will attract top pro cyclists from around the country and even the world. The first stage kicks off tomorrow, August 13, 2008.

It’s a 336 mile, 5-day race which takes cyclists up over 30,000 feet during the various stages - all within 100 mile radius of Salt Lake City. If you’re a guest of Utah Vacation Homes visiting Salt Lake or if you’re a local, this event is not to be missed and will be unlike any other event in the area, perhaps in the country.

The Tour is part of the prestigious 2008 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar. The National Racing Calendar acts as a showcase for the highest level of domestic events in the United States and provides season-long points series to determine the top riders and teams in the nation.

Here is a rundown of the various stages:

Stage 1 - Sanpete Road Race

This stage is 101 miles of flat to rolling terrain that start and finish in Nephi, Utah. ( Nephi is 85 miles south of Salt Lake City)

Stage 2 - Road Race

This stage starts in Ogden and head east into the mountain valleys to finally terminate in Salt Lake, not after going over four climbs and traveling 84 miles.

Stage 3- Downtown Criterium

This will be all action packed into one large city block of downtown Salt Lake City. 90 minutes of a 1 mile circuit surrounding Pioneer Park, this will be a stage you’ll not want to miss.

Stage 4 - Snowbird Road Race

Starting in Park City, this stage then descends into the Heber Valley and then cascades down Provo Canyon. Turning right up and over the Alpine Loop on the backside of Timpanogus, it then drops to Alpine only to climb yet again over the Draper hills into the Salt Lake Valley only to turn up towards Snowbird Resort where it finishes near the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Stage 5 - Miller Motorsports Park Time Trial

This is a 12 mile out and back race against the clock in Tooele ( Tooele is 34 miles west of Salt Lake City) at the Miller Motorsports Park

Don’t miss the Tour of Utah. The race begins tomorrow on August 13 and finishes on August 17, 2008.

–image courtesy of Tour of Utah

Park City is quickly becoming a cycling destination whether you’re a road cyclist or prefer mountain biking. More miles than you can ride in a summer of the finest single track trails are manicured and cared for by the Mountain Trails Foundation. Maps of the trail system are available at most any bike or sporting good shop

As for road cycling, there are some amazing canyon and vista rides both in and around Park City and the greater Summit County. It’s quickly turning into a mecca for road cyclists in Utah.

If you’re not planning a vacation to Park City but are going to participate in one of the many bicycling events here you should consider finding one of Utah Vacation Homes’ Park City properties and make a vacation out of it!

Here is a rundown on just a few of the cycling events that you can participate in when on vacation in Park City.

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The time has come. The painted SUV’s with license plates from Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah to name a few have descended upon Park City. Softball is in the air.

Although this morning didn’t feature any games the 2008 Triple Crown Softball tournament held here in Park City is under way.  The weather couldn’t be any better with highs in the low to mid 80’s and sunny skies.

I stopped by the fields at Quinn’s Junction this morning as the gals were doing skills competitions and generally prepping for play. If you’ve ever wondered just how big of a deal this is, the looks on the faces of the gals and the painted autos are a sign that this is all business…and a lot of fun too.

The gal pictured below who plays for the Tooele County Thunder was trying to pitch 10 balls into that target within 30 seconds. She got 7 of them in! Nice work!

Park City has done their best to have the fields in great condition for the tournaments that will follow in the next few weeks. At just 4 miles out of town near the junction of Highway 40 and state road 248, Quinn’s Junction Sports Complex is top notch! The views aren’t too bad either.

Good luck to all the teams at this year’s tournament! If’ you’ve got questions about parking, the field locations or about lodging in Park City just drop a comment on this blog post and we’ll reply. Welcome to our piece of paradise.

Perhaps you’re staying in one of the many Bear Hollow townhomes or homes that Utah Vacation Homes has available this summer. Or it’s likely that you’re in old town Park City. Regardless, be sure that before you arrive to town that your Wednesday afternoon is booked with a visit to the Park City Farmers Market. You won’t regret getting a feel for local culture, art and of course the fantastic home grown food.

The Park City Farmers’ Market is located at The Canyons Resort in the Cabriolet lot adjacent to Highway 224 that goes from Kimball Junction to the town of Park City. The Market takes place each Wednesday, June - October. 12:00pm - 7:00pm and is a favorite of mine to get fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a fresh slice of pizza or even a pastry.

Volkers Bakery is one of the local merchants who can be found there is a must visit for fantastic breads and brick oven pizza baked on the spot. I’m a fan of the Asiago Cheese Focaccia and the Walnut Cranberry which with cream cheese in the morning is a delight.

(Speaking of delight, this past Saturday I stopped by the Volkers stand in Kamas while on my way home from a 60 mile road bike ride and picked up a large piece of Apple Strudel. This is the real deal, from Austria, and oh was it so good.)

Aside from Volkers there are plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, many of which are picked the morning of the market. Perhaps you’ll find some local art, photography or crafts to take home with you. Music adds to the festive and casual atmosphere.

So check out the Farmers Market the next time you’re in Park City on a Wednesday afternoon.  Rain or shine, it’ll be there.

– images credit to Park City Farmers’ Market

In case you missed the Utah Arts Festival which was held this past weekend in downtown Salt Lake City at Library Square, the Park City Kimball Arts Festival is right around the corner. This year the Park City Arts Festival will take place August 1-3. It’s a marvelous time to be in Park City to take in the arts.

When most people think of “arts” they often conjure up images of paintings.

No, this festival is much more broad than that. Artists in all types of expertise from sculpting, photography, painting, woodcarving, wood prints, potters, and more will gather in this the 39th year of the art festival. In addition there will be musical talent and street entertainers with a plethora of culinary artists there to satisfy any pallet.

If you’ve got children there will be an area for young artists where they can let their creative minds express themselves. It truly is a family affair. Aside from the festival there are still plenty of outdoor activities, restaurants, and sites to visit (including the amazing art at the Kimball Art Center) so whether you’re here for the weekend or the week, you won’t lack for variety in a mountain setting.

Park City Arts Festival Lodging

Since the Arts Festival is held on Main Street it’s to your advantage to be close enough to stroll from your rented condo or home to the festival and back throughout the day. Taking in the festival is an unique experience that you’ll want to maximize. If you’re coming to town and need to find a place, Utah Vacation Homes has a number of properties close by which are still available:

The Park City Kimball Arts Festival encompasses much more than just a stroll up Main Street. We have partnered with the community to present the very best that Park City has to offer. We encourage you to spend the day, evening or weekend enjoying all of the possibilities for fun, fine dining and entertainment. Park City has something for everyone, from the stunning exhibition at the Kimball Art Center to theatres, restaurants, clubs and concerts at Deer Valley. Come for the weekend and enjoy!

Daly Avenue #2 - Located just above Main Street.
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeps: 10
Unit Type: Townhouse

Top of Main-B Old Town - Located at the top of Main Street
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 4
Sleeps: 8
Unit Type: Townhouse

Motherlode #4
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 4
Sleeps: 8
Unit Type: Townhouse

Park Ave - Rebuilt Old Town Home
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeps: 8
Unit Type: House

So you’re staying in Deer Valley at one of Utah Vacation Homes‘ many Deer Valley area properties.  Or perhaps you’ve found your way to Deer Valley by other routes.  Either way, summer is here and the options of outdoor activities are abundant.

One of the things that I look forward to each summer are the number of outdoor concerts that are available. With more music than this set of ears could listen to in one summer it gets tough choosing where to go and what band to hear.

Sitting on the lawn, on a blanket or in your lawn chair enjoying outdoor music in the mountain air at Deer Valley Resort….what could be better? Oh, yea, the fact that it’s FREE?!

The Mountain Town Stages summer concert series which is held each Wednesday Night at Deer Valley used to be held in the park. Those concerts in the park are now on the weekends. This coming Wednesday, July 2 will feature The Joy & Eric Band which is being presented by Local’s Have More Fun, a Park City based company.  The Joy and Eric Band is a Blues, Folk and Rock band that performs original music as well as some covers.

Speaking of the concerts in the park, this coming Sunday afternoon will feature hometown Parkite Mary Beth Maziarz (seen above) with her band Wild Honey. She’s one you’ll not want to miss as her unique piano band sound of blues, pop and soul will surely strike a cord with you.

No longer is the “I don’t have time” excuse valid with so many concert options.  I hope you get out to see a show this summer, especially since a lot of them are free.

–Check out a clip of Mary Beth’s music

–image credit Mark Maziarz

When one thinks volleyball one of the first things to come to mind is beach volleyball. So why would we, here in Utah, be writing about the 2008 USA Junior Olympic Boys’ Volleyball Championships?

For the fact that this type of world class event doesn’t come to town very often and if you happen to be a local or visiting from out of state from July 2-9 then this might be something you’ll not want to miss.

Put together by the United States Volleyball Association which is recognized by the Olympic Committee as the governing body for world class volleyball here in the United States, this tournament is bound to feature future Olympic talent and some amazing team competition.

The event is taking place at the South Towne Exposition Center which is in Sandy. Utah Vacation Homes has a number of condos and homes which are nearby if you’re looking for a last minute location to stay. One example of a home that sleeps up to 10 is the Cottonwood View B townhome just 5 miles from the South Towne Center.

If you’re interested in ordering tickets for the 2008 USA Junior Olympic Boys’ Volleyball Championship before hand the deadline is June 13.

The South Towne expo center is located at 9575 S. State Street, Sandy, Utah 84070. Let Google maps be your guide.

View Larger Map

Known as a premier destination for skiers, annually ranking top 5 for service, ski slopes, on mountain food and more, Deer Valley Resort is not to be missed.

Over the past decade Deer Valley has steadily added summer attractions like mountain biking, running and bike race events, and the not to be missed Deer Valley Music Festival. Yes, Deer Valley in the summer is not to be missed as a summer get away.

The Deer Valley Music Festival is an ongoing summer music festival often recognized as one of the premier outdoor venues to take in a symphony or more. The highlight for many is the July 4 Patriotic Celebration when the Utah Symphony performs “all of your red, white and blue favorites.” Like all of the

But don’t wait until July to get your tickets. They went on sale April 16 and there are still tickets available.

Although the July 4 concert is one many look forward to I’m personally excited to see the Utah Symphony on August 1st as they perform one of my favorite classical pieces - Dvorak’s New World Symphony. They will be joined by “Time for Three” for what I imagine will be an unforgettable evening. It should look a little like this:

Coming in from out of town for the Deer Valley Music Festival? Here’s a lodging option, walking distance from the concert.

Fawn Grove #3 is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo that can sleep up to 9. This is the view off the back deck. Hard to beat that!

As a follow up to my post the other day about the Triple Crown Girls Fastpitch World Series that is coming to Park City, I wanted to toss out a couple of lodging options.

These are larger accommodating options for families and/or teams who may want some extra space to stretch out and relax after the games:

Daly Avenue #2

Located just off of main street Park City this Daly Avenue #2 Townhome is close to the ball diamonds, shops and restaurants this is not only an affordable location but also hard to beat.

Features include:

• Sleeps 10
• Private hot tub
• 3 bath
• Washer-Dryer
• 3 TVs
• Wireless Internet

Bear Hollow #5

Located in between Kimball Junction and The Canyons Resort, Bear Hollow #5 is an easy 8 minute drive to the ball diamonds at the High School and provides plenty of space with views that will help the team wind down at the end of the night.

This home sleeps 12 with 4 bedrooms including a rare two master suites each with king sized beds. This is a great spot for a couple of families or half a team!

Other features include:

• Private Hot Tub
• 2 indoor jetted tubs
• Wireless Internet
• 2 big screen HDTV home theaters
• Foosball and Air Hockey tables in a game room
• Washer - Dryer

Regardless of where you stay for the Triple Crown World Series here in Park City, Utah Vacation Homes is sure to have a spot that will make you smile when coming home from the games, despite the final score.